Rocker switches are used as electrical switches in industry, domestically and in automobiles, boats and airplanes, for example. Because of their wide application and large scale manufacture, the unit price of rocker switches is relatively low. There are applications in which it is useful to take advantage of the low unit cost of rocker switches, and where it is desirable to enhance them.
Various rocker switch assemblies are known in the prior art. Rocker switch assemblies are made from a standard switch base, and a rocker assembly is typically mounted onto the switch base via a bracket, which is in turn mounted on the switch base. The rocker switch assemblies include protrusions that allow the rocker switch assembly to rock and pivot with respect to the bracket.
In the prior art, rocker switch assemblies have suffered from various deficiencies. Such deficiencies include the rocker switch not being aesthetically pleasing. Other deficiencies include various problems associated with rocker switches, such as the rocker switches not being easy to produce, and having various problems regarding the fit of the rocker assembly on the bracket and switch base, the fit being a result of poor manufacturing and production techniques. Other problems of prior art designs that include locks on rocker switches involve the lock on the rocker assembly falling out or becoming stuck, whereby the lock is prone to failure as it becomes stuck in use and fails over time due to poor manufacturing.
Prior art rocker switch assemblies have typically been made using a 2-step molding process, which requires expensive tooling and requires a step of overmolding, or molding two pieces onto one another to create the rocker switch assembly.
The 2-step molding process of the prior art has significant disadvantages as a 2-step molding process often results in shrinkage problems from overmolding, which results in production issues whereby components of the rocker switch assemblies do not fit correctly together.
As can be seen, a need exists to provide a rocker switch and rocker assembly that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.